Directions

1. Clean the pears thoroughly in water. The pears should be ripe enough to have at least a little juice. Very ripe pears work just fine. Slice and quarter them, removing seeds and core (peeling the pears is optional). Place pears in a large saucepan, turn the heat to low and let the pears simmer until they are very tender and falling apart. You may add water if you think they’re too dry, but they tend to make a lot of juice. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. If there is a great deal of liquid, pour some off so that the reduction time is not so great. Puree with a stick blender.
2. Mix 3 1/2 cups of puree, diced ginger, other spices and zest. Let simmer, watching to make sure that the mixture does not stick, and stirring frequently. When the puree is as thick as you would like, take off the heat. Let cool before serving as a topping for Cheddar cheese and crackers.